Strand working machine



May 24, 1932. H. BLOUNT STRAND WORKING MACHINE Filed April 11 1928 Patehted May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY BLOUNT, 01 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK sa nann WORKING MACHINE Application filed April 12,

This invention relates to strand working machines, and more particularly to a device for producing an excess of wire to relieve ten. sion of the wire on the drawing capstan of a wire drawing machine.

This invention is particularly applicable to multiple die wire drawing machines where the wire is drawn continuously and the finished wire is pulled onto a positively driven coiling drum or take-up reel, which upon becoming filled with drawn wire is replaced by an empty reel. Herctofore, in some instances to accomplish the changing of reels the take-up mechanism and the wire drawing capstan were both stoppechor the take-up mechanism alone was stopped whereby the pulling engagement thereof on the finished wire was discontinued and the wire under tension was permitted to slip on the surface of the rotating capstan. The stopping and starting of the entire machine required considerable time and caused a waste of power,

while the friction of the taut wire slipping on the capstan tended to wear grooves in the capstan surface and abrade the wire.

The primary objectof this invention is to provide a sturdy device of simple construction for releasing tension in a strand being worked by a strand working apparatus by creating slack in the strand.

One embodiment of the invention consists of a wire slackening device for wire drawing machines having a plurality of wire drawing dies, wherein a portion of a shaft supporting a plurality of idler sheaves is eccentric and is rotated by pneumatic means to decrease the distance between the centers of a wire drawing capstan and the idler sheaves after the wire take-up or spooling mechanism is stopped to provide a sufficient amount of slack in the wire to obviate the necessity of stopping the drawing capstan.

It is believed that a complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of the slackening de- 1928. Serial No. 269,348.

vice as used in a wire drawing machine,and Fig. 2 1s a sectlonal view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the mounting of, the ecdesignates a bed or base plate on which is -mounted a housing 11 providedwith an upper hinged cover 12. The wire drawing apparatus is enclosed within this housing 11 and comprises a conical shaped capstan 13 having a series of steps 16 gradually increasing in diameter, a die shelf 14, and a plurality of individual idler sheaves 15 gradually increasing in diameter to correspond.

with the various steps 16 in the ca sta1i13. The capstan is secured to a rotata le shaft 18 suitably journaled within the housing 11 and is driven by a suitable source of power (not shown). The idler sheaves 15 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 19 eccentric to and integral with a main shaft 20 journaledin bearings 21-21 which are mounted on and secured to standards 2222. Rigidly fastened to the shaft 20 is a clamplng collar 26' having a pair of radially extending arms 2727, between which is pivoted the upper end of a piston rod 28 on apin- 29. The lower end of the rod 28 is secured to the piston in a pneumatic. cylinder 30.

A source of compressed air (not shown) for actuating the piston of the cylinder 30 is connected thereto through a supply pipe 34, a control valve 35 of any suitable type, a flexible connection 36 entering through the top of the cylinder, and a similar connection 37 en tering through the bottom ofthe pneumatic cylinder. It will be readily understood that 19 at position 41 whereby the greatest distance.

possible is attained between the center of the capstan shaft 18 and the center of the eccentric dies 45 is placed in the die shelf 14 andthe' shaft 19; To accomplish the above setting, the control handle 38 of the valve 35 is moved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, whereby air under pressure enters the bottom of the cylinder through the connection 37 and the piston is forced into, its uppermost position against the head of cylinder 30 to carry tion 40 and rotate ,the center of the shaft 19 from the position 49. to the position 41.

With the mechanism so-gpositioned, a plurality of diesafi are strung upon a wire or rod 46 to be drawn which is admitted into the housing 11 through an aperture 47 at the left.end thereof. The first of the series of wireis then passed. around the smallest step 16' of the capstan 13 and around the idler sheave of the smallest diameter. The second of the series of reducing dies 45 is then properlyplaced in the die shelf and the wire p assegtaroundthe second step in the capstan.

'vof stringing the dies 'is contlnn I in th fetdi'e shelf and the finished wire passed through anaperture 48 at the right end of the housing 11 to a positively driven take-up or spool'ng mechanism of any suitable type (not shown). k I

Toreplace a full take-up spool with an empty" one without the necessity of stopping the continuously rotating capstan, the operatm stops the take-up mechanism to stop the drawing of wire by taking the tension off the finishedstrand and'immediately moves the valve control lever 38 to the, position" shown by dotted lines in Fig.1. This movement releases compressed air through the.

connection 36 upon the top of thepiston,

forcing the latter to the lowermost position and rotates the shaft 20 so th.

v t the center of the eccentric shaft 19 is moved to the position 42 thereby decreasing the distance between the capstan 13 and the idler sheaves 15-.

loosen the Wire on the reto create slack or Hence, the drawing ofthe vo'lving capstan. wire is stopped to permit change the take-up spools, and since the wire is loose on the rotating capstan there is no reversed and the pneumatic pressure danger of abrading the wire or cutting groovesinto'the'moving surface of the capstan.

When it ing operation, ing drum is started' a nd the wire beginning at the finishing die is successively pulled tight on each step of the capstan so thatjthe load is taken up slowly. The control lever 38 of'the pneumatic valve 35 is subsequently is, desired to restart the wire drawunderside ofthe piston in the cylinder 30 gradually increases the distance betweenthe capstan and idler sheaves to reset the device whereby slack can be again produced in the wire. 1 ythe upper end of the rod- .28 to the posiuntil the final reducing die is placed.v

the operator to the take-up mechanism or coil on the starting of the take-up mechanism the wire is gradually tautened on each step of the capstan thereby" eliminating the necessity of providing a high starting torque; manifestly, a smaller motor can be used and considerable economy in time is involved in per- .mitting the capstan t0 revolve rather than by stopping and starting it for each operation.

It will be understood that the embodiment crf the invention hereinbefore described and illustrated is merely a'convenient and useful form of the invention, which is capable of many other modifications without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. In a strand working apparatus, a shaft, a sheave for guiding'the strand mounted on an end portion of the shaft the end portion being eccentric. to the axis thereof, a capstan, mcansbetween the capstan and the sheave for working the strand, an d means for rotating the shaft to decrease the distance between the sheave and the capstan over which the strand travels.

2. In a strand working apparatus, a capstan rotatable in, a fixed position, a shaft having an integral end portion eccentric to the axis thereof, a sheave rotatably mounted on the ecoentric portion for guiding the strand to the capstan, means between the capstan and the sheave for working the strand, and means for rotating the shaft to change the distance between the sheaveand the capstan.

3.In a strand working apparatus, a capstan, ashaft having an integral end portion eccentric to the axisthereof, a plurality of sheaves rotatable on the eccentric portion for carrying a strand, strand working means between the capstan and the sheaves, a' member secured to the shaft, a piston pivoted to the member, and means for controlling the movement of the piston, to increase or decrease the distance between the sheaves and the cap- Istan to introduce slack into the strand.

4. In a wire drawing apparatus, a; capstan, a shaft having an integral end portioneccentric to the axis thereof,' a plurality of idler sheaves rotatably mounted on the eccentric portion for supporting the wire as it passes around the capstain'a plurality of wire drawing dies between the capstan and the sheaves,a lever rigidly secured to the shaft, a rod pivoted to the lever and afiuid pressu re means for reciprocating'the rod to change the distance between the capstan and the sheaves tojntroducc slack into the wire.

' 5. In a strand working apparatus, a sha it a capstan thereon, another shaft spaced therefrom and having a main portion and an inteac es tegral end portion eccentric to the axis of the main portion, a sheaveon the eccentric portion, strand working means between the capstan and the sheave, a member secured to the main portion and means'for moving the a member to vary the distance between the sheave and the capstan.

6. In a strand workingfapparatus, a rotatable capstan for pulling the strand, a shaft 1 spaced therefrom and having a main portion and an integral end portion eccentric to the axis of the main portion, a sheave upon the eccentric portion for receiving the strand from the capstan, strand working means between the capstan and the sheave, and a movable member secured to the main portion for rotating the shaft to vary the distance between the sheave and the capstan and control the movement of the strand. I 2 7. In a strand working apparatus, a capstan, a shaft having a main portion and an integral end portion eccentric to the axis of the main portion, a sheave rotatable on the eccentric portion for carrying a strand, strand working means between the capstan and the sheave, a member secured to the main portion, a piston pivoted to the member and means for controlling the movement of the piston to vary the distance between the sheave and the capstan.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of March, A. D. 1928. t HARRY BLOUNT. 

